CORE A - ADMINISTRATIVE CORE

CORE A – ADMINISTRATION ABSTRACT The primary goals of Core A – Administration are to provide leadership, coordinated communication, logistical support, and statistical support for Program members and collaborators to expedite the successful completion of the Program’s scientific aims. The Lead of Core A is Dr. Reuben Harris and the Co-Lead is Dr. Douglas Yee. The specific aims of the Core are to 1) provide strong and consistent leadership; 2) provide administrative services including statistical support to Program scientists, collaborators, and Advisory Board members; and 3) coordinate Program communications including meetings, workshops, and outreach efforts. The efficient administration of this multi-institutional, multi-investigator Program is essential for its success and has proven to be effective over the >10 years that our team has been working together successfully. Drs. Harris and Yee both have experience managing multi-investigator, matrixed grants, and they meet monthly to coordinate Program management. They have worked collaboratively for over a decade on the topic of this proposal with the award of a co-PI V Foundation grant in 2012. They are supported by a full-time Program Coordinator, Dr. Dean Bacich, who provides day-to-day administrative support and organizes meetings, workshops, and other communication and outreach activities. The Executive Leadership Team, which consists of Project and Core Leads, meets monthly to review the status of scientific progress and budgets. In-person Program Workshops, which include Project and Core Leads, Co-Leads, Key Personnel, postdocs, graduate students, and collaborators, are held twice each year, alternating between University of Texas Health San Antonio (fall) and University of California San Diego (spring). The External Advisory Board, which consists of 5 expert scientists and 5 patient advocates, joins the team in person at the fall workshop and provides feedback on overarching goals, scientific results, and ways to overcome potential problems. A 4-person Internal Advisory Board comprised of administrative and scientific leaders at UT Health San Antonio also meets annually with Program leadership with a focus on institutional support and facilities as well as Program outreach and fostering community relationships. All meetings are hybrid with in-person and Zoom options to ensure maximal accessibility and full participation by all members.